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LOGAN CANYON U.S. HIGHWAY 89
LAND USE TECHNICAL MEMORANDUM
Prepared for
Utah Department of Transportation
Prepared by
CH2M HILL
Salt Lake City, Utah
March 1987
BOT538/031
CONTENTS
Introduction
Methods
Existing Conditions
Recreation
Grazing
Mining
Logging
Other Uses
Planning and Zoning
Impacts
Middle Canyon
Upper Canyon
Rich County
Mitigation
Middle Canyon
Upper Canyon
Rich County
References
Appendix - Existing and Proposed Road Access and Parking Areas
BOT538/032
INTRODUCTION
This technical memorandum describes existing conditions,
potential impacts, and possible mitigation measures for land
uses affected by proposed improvements to U.S. Highway 89
Logan Canyon between Right Fork and Garden City, Utah. The
proposed project involves road improvements through various
alternatives, such as replacing bridges, introdu~ing passing
lanes, developing parking areas, modifying intersections
and realigning the road. Approximately 21 of the 28-mile project length of U.S. Highway 89 lies within the Wasatch Cache National Forest (Figure 1). Land use in this area is limited to uses permitted by the U. S. Forest Service, which include recreation, live­stock grazing, logging, and mining. Recreation is the primary use of the Logan Canyon area. Several stretches of the highway north of Tony Grove pass through private lands. The highway continues through Forest Service land from the Rich/Cache County Line east for about 1-1/2 miles. From this point to Garden City, all lands adjoining the highway are privately owned, except for one small section of the National Forest and the Garden City public cemetery located one-half mile west of town.
BOT538/020
1
METHODS Land uses in and near the proposed project area were described
based on a review of available literature and data, observa­tion
of the project area, and conversations with agency per­sonnel
and other knowledgeable persons. Potential land use
impacts were identified based on the type of improvement
alternatives (including the no-action alternative) that have
been proposed for the three project sections (Middle Canyon,
Upper Canyon, Rich County) from issues and concerns identi­fied
during the public scoping process, and from comments provided by the Interdisciplinary Study Team. Where possible, conceptual mitigation and enhancement measures have been identified that would minimize or offset potential project impacts associated withe the various improvement alternatives.
3
EXISTING CONDITIONS
RECREATION
The Wasatch-Cache National Forest receives the greatest rec­reational
use of all National Forests in the nation. In
1981, the entire Forest received 6,730,000 visitor days of
recreational use. Logan Canyon recreational use in 1981 was [blank space]
visitor days, or about [blank space] percent of that for the entire Forest. The Wasatch-Cache National Forest Plan
emphasizes the use of Logan Canyon for recreation. Table 1 shows recreational use in Logan the present.
(Table 1 to be inserted later.) Recreational opportunities in Logan Canyon include camping, fishing, hiking, sightseeing, bicycling, hunting, and pic­nicking.
Winter recrational opportunities are downhill and cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, and sledding.
Summer homes are located in the lower canyon outside of the
project area. While much of the recreational use in the
canyon is destination-type use (people go into the canyon
for recreational purposes, then return home), recreational
use is also associated with people passing through the canyon
with some other ultimate destination. Since U.S. 89 is
a popular route to several of the national parks, travelers
to the parks often stop in the canyon for travel breaks.
Geological features such as Logan Cave and Ricks Spring are
points of interest to travelers. The fall color of deciduous
trees and shrubs in the canyon also attracts many sightseers.
A study of traffic volume variation in the canyon from Feb­ruary
through August 1986 (see Table 2) indicated that during
4
Winter Counts
Right Fork Road (W)
Right Fork Road (E)
Beaver Mountain Road (W)
Beaver Mountain Road (E)
Permanent Station
24 hr as percent of 10 hr
Permanent Station as
Percent of Right Fork (W)
Summer Counts
Right Fork Road (W)
Right Fork Road (E)
Tony Grove Road (W)
Tony Grove Road (E)
Summit-Sinks Road (W)
Summit-Sinks Road (E)
Permanent Station
24 hr as percent of 16 hr
Permanent Station as
Percent of Right Fork (W)
Table 2
TRAFFIC VOLUME VARIATION
winter weekdays, slightly over 50 percent of the traffic on
u.s. 89 enters the canyon for destination purposes, mainly
recreation. On winter weekends, slightly over 60 percent of
the traffic ~tays in the canyon. The percentage of destina­tion
traffic is much lower in summer. In summer, only about
20 percent of the weekday traffic and 30 percent of the week­end
traffic into the canyon stays within the canyon. However,
since traffic volume is 4 to 5 times greater in summer than
winter, actual numbers of destination users of the canyon is
greater in summer than winter. There are a large number of developed
facilities within Logan Canyon, including 11 campgrounds, 12 picnic areas, 11 summer home areas, and 16 other points of interest.
These facilities and their use in recent years are show in Tables 3, 4, and 5. Tony Lake and Sunrise campgrounds are the most heavily used campgrounds within the project area.
Figure 2 shows the location of recreational facilities and points of interest in the canyon
Table 6 shows 1986 recreation visitor days in the canyon by
type of activity. Camping is the dominant activity in the canyon, comprising 27.3 percent of total canyon use. Auto
travel is second at 26.4 percent, although this does not
distinguish recreation travel from other travel. Recreation
cabin use is the third most popular activity, comprising
9.8 percent of the total. Downhill skiing ranks fourth,
picnicking fifth, and fishing sixth. Some bicycling occurs
in the canyon, although most of this activity is confined to
the lower canyon area close to Logan and Utah State University.
Little pedestrian activity occurs along the highway because
of its narrowness. Walking along the road does occur near
points of interest where parking is not immediately avail­able.
6
TABLE 3 LOGAN CANYON CAMPGROUNDS AND PICNIC AREAS
CAMPGROUNDS
Name
Sunrise
Red Banks
Lewis M. Turner
Tony Lake
Wood £amp
Lodge Preston galleyb
GUinavgh
Malibu Lower Spring Hollow
Bridger
Table 3
LOGAN CANYON CAMPGROUNDS AND PICNIC AREAS
Number of Sites Water
30 x
12 x
10 x
39 x
8 x
10 x
10 x
32 x
16 x
14 x
12 x
Toilets
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
Other Features
On Tony Lake
Hiking trail
2 miles from U.S. 89
Adjacent to Guenava C.G.
PICNIC AREAS AND GROUP DAY USE AREAS (BY RESERVATION)
Twin Bridges
Cottonwood
China Row
Chokcherry
Card
Browns Roll-off
Nook b
Beirdneau
Lower Spring Hollow Middle Spring Hollow Upper Spring Hollow
Dewitt
Source: U.S.
BOT538/021
Table 4 LOGAN RANGER DISTRICT SUMMER HOMES USE
Location
Gus Lind Flat
Bierdneau
Valhalla
Birch Glen
Browns Roll Off
Card Canyon
Pine Bluff
Chokecherry
The Junipers
Hailstone
Brachiopod
Table 5
LOGAN RANGER DISTRICT
POINTS OF INTEREST
Ricks Spring
Fucoidal Quartzite
Old Juniper (5-1/2 mile hike)
Malibu Scout Lodge
Arnerlcan Legion Post
St. Ann's Retreat
Cache E. Cache Logan Stakes Corp
Beaver Mountain
Logan Cave
Tony Grove Memorial Ranger Station
Bear Lake Overlook
Limber Pine Trail
Limber Pine
Cache Clubs
Sinks Snowmobile Trail Head
Tony Lake Trail
Table 6
LOGAN CANYON RECREATION USE BY ACTIVITY
Activity
Viewing Scenery
Viewing Activities (Spectator)
Automobile Travel
Motorcycle and Scooter Travel
Ice and Snow Craft Travel
Train and Bus Touring
Aerial Trams and Lifts
Hiking and Walking Bicycle Horseback Canoeing
Other Watercraft
Team Sports
Individual Sports
Swimming and Water Play
Diving Fishing, Cold Water Camping, General Day Camping, Auto
Camping, Trailer
Camping, Tent
Organization Camping, General Day
Organization Camping, Night
Picnicking
Recreation Cabin Use
Skiing, Downhill
Snow Play
Cross-Country Skiing, Snowshoeing
Hunting, Big Game
Hunting, Upland Birds
Table 6 (Continued)
LOGAN CANYON RECREATION USE BY ACTIVITY
Activity
Nature Study, Wildlife, Birds, Fish
Nature Study, Hobby, Education
Mountain Climbing
Gathering Forest Products
Viewing Interpretative Exhibits
Attending Talks and Programs
Touring, Guided
Touring, Unguided
Walking, Guided
Walking, Unguided
Viewing Interpretative Signs
General Information
Beaver Mountain Recreation Area is a private concession within
the Forest that provides downhill and cross-country skiing
and other winter recreation pursuits. The area has 16 runs
and three ski lifts; two of the lifts were installed in 1985.
A fourth lift is to be constructed when financially feasible.
The area includes a day lodge, but no overnight accommodations.
Sweetwater Resort in Garden City provides overnight lodging
and eating facilities for Beaver Mountain visitors. User
figures at Beaver Mountain for the current and two past seasons
are given in Table 7.
Because of the narrowness of Logan Canyon and the highway, parking locations are very limited, especially in the middle canyon where the majority of Forest Service facilities are located. The lack of parking constrains recreational use in some places. The Appendix lists parking opportunities through­out
the Forest section of the project road. A survey of
actual parking use in the canyon was made by the Forest Ser­vice
on two Saturdays in August 1986. The findings were
48 cars parked on August 16, and 89 cars parked on August 30.
Garden City, at the eastern terminus of the project road
section, is one of several more developed recreational areas
around Bear Lake. Bear Lake State Park has three facilities
on the lake. The oldest of the three, the marina, is located
just north of Garden City. It has slips for 150 boats and
about a dozen camp sites. Rendezvous Beach, about 9 miles
13
south of Garden City at the southeast end of the lake, has
about 230 campsites. Cisco Beach, on the east side of the
lake, has only pit restrooms, and was closed in November
1986 until more adequate restroom facilities can be installed
(Chavez, 1987). User figures for Bear Lake State Park are
given in Table 8. These facilities, particularly the marina
and Rendezvous Beach, are heavily used in summer. The two
areas are usually totally reserved for summer weekends early
in the year. Camping spaces are open only from May through
October, although the marina is open all year. Utah State
Parks and Recreation expects to upgrade Cisco Beach facilities in the future as funding becomes available.
The other major recreation facility at Garden City is the
Sweetwater Resort, a private development constructed in the
1970s. Planned to include more than 7,000 acres of land, it
comprises a marina, golf course, stables, swimming pool,
tennis courts, approximately 150 condominiums, two restau­rants,
and a convention center. No new units have been con­structed
since about 1981 (Call, 1987), and the development
14
has just been reorganized following Chapter 11 proceedings
(Francis, 1987). Construction has begun recently on a hotel­restaurant
complex in Garden City to accommodate conferences.
Other recreational areas exist north of Garden City in Bear
Lake County, Idaho, and to the south in Pickelville and Lake­town,
Utah. A few facilities exist on the east side of Bear
Lake. However, the road along the east side is unpaved, and
a large part of the land ownership is public.
The other large private resort on the lake Bear Lake West
is located near the state line in Bear Lake County, Idaho. It includes a golf course and a number of privately owned residences, most of which are second homes. A marina is planned for the development. Figure 3 shows the location of recreation facilities and communities on Bear Lake.
Because of better access for the population concentration on the Wasatch Front, private land ownership, and more developed infrastructre, major recreational development on Bear Lake is expected to continue on the west shore.
Six grazing allotments are located within the Logan Canyon section of the Forest. Total animal unit months (AUMs) provided by these allotments are 6,978 for cattle and 3,800 for sheep. A breakdown of AUMs by allotment is given in Table 9.
Each of the sheep allotments has one permitee. There are 16 permitees for the cattle allotment (Miller, 1987). Live­stock
is hauled by truck to all of the allotments, except Blind Hollow and Cottonwood. For these allotments, livestock is brough by truck to corrals located at Right Fork, Temple Fork, Twin Cheek, and is driven on foot from these corrals to the allotments.
Forest Service records show 30 mining claims in existence
within the Logan Ranger District. Within the Logan Canyon
Management Area, mining leases are given only under the con­dition
of no surface occupancy. Leases in this area are for
metaliferous materials, oil and gas, and common materials
(gravel, clay, sand). No mines are currently active in this
area. No drilling for oil or gas has occurred in the Logan
Ranger District, only geophysical exploration (LaBar, 1987).
17
LOGGING
About 2,900 acres in the Logan Ranger District are suitable
for logging. There is currently no active logging for lum­ber
production on the Logan (west) side of the summit, al­though
a small commercial firewood operation is removing
logs from that area. No lumber mills are currently operat­ing
in the Logan area. In the past, commercial logging
occurred in areas just west and south of Bear Lake Summit.
Logging trucks traveled Sinks Road to U.S. 89 then east into Rich County.
Some commercial logging currently occurs on the east side of the summit. This operation does not afect U.S. 89 since logs are taken out over back roads to Meadowville in Rich
County, then to Afton, WY for milling.
OTHER USES No residences, either seasonal or permanent, exist within the project secion of the National Forest. Three seasonal cabins exist near U.S. 89 on privately owned lands in Cache in Sections 25 and 36 of T14N, R3E, and Section 17 or T14N, R4E in Cache County.
Utah State University maintains a forest research station
approximately one-half mile south of the Tony Grove Guard
Station. A Utah Department of Transportation road mainte­nance
shop is located near Willow Springs, approximately
2 miles west of Bear Lake Summit.
Nearly all lands adjacent to u.S. 89 in Rich County are pri­vately
owned. Most of this land up to about one mile from
Garden City is undeveloped because of steep slopes. However,
Bridgerland Village a subdivision, containing about 53 resi­dences,
lies adjacent to the highway less than one mile east
18
of the Cache/Rich County line. Sweetwater Resort lands lie
just to the southeast of this subdivision. A gravel pit
occurs within 200 feet of the highway east of the summit.
Another gravel pit is within one-half mile of the highway
near Mile post 411, almost to Garden City. The eastern
terminus of the project highway is the community of Garden
City. Land uses within this community include several
recreational campgrounds; two motels; Sweetwater Resort; a
portion of Bear Lake State Park; two grocery stores; several
service businesses; and a number of private residences, both permenant and second homes. Agricultural uses (mainly livestock grazing and hay production) are interspersed among other uses around Bear Lake. Just east of the Garden Ci ty cemetery the agricultural lands are classified as prime agricultural soils. The Despain
soil, through which the highway righ-of-way passes, has a
capability classification of 3S. The Thatcher soil, further from the road, is classed 3E. This land is irrigated by the canal east of the cemetery. Figure 4 shows land uses adjacent to the project section of U.S. 89 in Rich County. According to Mountain Fuel Supply Company, there are no natural gas lines near the project section of road currently
under study in Logan Canyon. There are, however, both over­head
and underground power and phone lines in existence.
Utah Power & Light Company lines originate at the Garden
City substation, about one mile west of the Garden City Junc­tion.
Overhead primary lines run east toward Garden City,
then south-southwest. They eventually serve the Bridgerland
Village subdivision, as well as a laser tracking station, by
way of underground conduit.
19
Even though rural overhead telephone lines now run about a
half-mile west from the Garden City Junction, there is a
strong possibility that most or all of this system will be
removed in the near future. Telephone facilities that serve
the Bridgerland Village subdivision originate just south of
Garden City Junction and are entirely underground west and
southwest of that point.
Power and telephone conduits are located 2 feet below the
surface, and both cross under U.S. 89 at different locations .
Once within the Bridgerland Village subdivision, much of the
power-telephone conduits run together. Because of inade­quate
mapping, the location of much of power-telephone conduits run together. Because of inadequate mapping, the location of much of this subdivision's underground secondary is uncertain.
Two overhead telephone lines cross U.S. 89 a few hundred feet south of the Garden City substation. The lines pass west to a Utah Department of Transportation road maintenance shopel ocated about one mile west of ;pq §.s U ":S" ~ ·:'S,,,9 a few hundred
Bear Lake Summit. On the Summit the lines come within about one hundred feet of the highway. This entire facility west of Garden City is owned and maintained by UDOT. Figure 5 shows the location of these utilities.
PLANNING AND ZONING Current zoning through the Logan Canyon area in Cache County
is FR40 (Forest Recreation - 40-acre minimum lot size).
Cabins, but not permanent residences, can be constructed on
parcels of 40 acres or more. The County plans for Forest
recreational uses to continue here, although no land use
plan has been adopted (Greenhalgh, 1978). The Forest Ser­vice's
plan for the Logan Canyon Management Area (U.S. For­est
Service, 1985) provides the following policies for land
use:
21
Recreation: The emphasis is to protect scenic quali­ties.
A broad spectrum of year-round developed and
dispersed recreation opportunities will be provided.
Developed recreation will be emphasized.
Ski Area Development: Work with permittees of the Bea­ver
Mountain Ski Area to protect the natural beauty of
the area, improve existing facilities, and plan future
expansion.
Off-Road Vehicles: Vehicles are restricted to existing roads and trails except over-snow vehicles traveling on the snow.
Wildlife: Manage fish and wildlife habitat programs to complement outdoor recreatoin
Range and Timber: Manage range and timber resources to complement outdoor recreation
Watershed: Maintain or improve existing water quality.
Protection: Protect and preserve unique natural, geo­logical,
and historical features. Make an appropriate
suppression response on all wildfires.
Minerals: Issue "lease with no surface occupancy" only.
Regulate mineral development to protect the recreational
and scenic qualities of the area.
Lands: Acquire land or easements as necessary to main­tain
the scenic values of the canyon.
23
Transportation: Logan Canyon Highway upgrading and
maintenance will consider public safety needs, the pro­tection
of visual qualities, and other resource values
and uses.
o Public access in ihe canyon will be provided with
adequate ingress, egress, pull offs, and parking
opportunities.
o Provide adequate parking and access at: Ricks Spring, Brachiopod Park, Limber Pine, and Logan Cave
o Recommend that the Utah Deparment of Transporta­tion place signs warning motorists of livestock
and wildlife crossings
o Work with the State Department to manage traffic control problems in Logan Canyon
o Protect roadside vegetation, springs, and streams from damaging chemicals such as as salt and herbicides.
o Cooperate with the Department of Transportation to provide mutual assistance in the annual disposal
of roadside slough and rubble.
Planning for the Bear Lake region calls for development of
conference center and accompanying recreational facilities.
The Bear Lake Regional Plan identifies resource opportuni­ties
and constraints and suggests where development should
and should not occur. Zoning for the lakeside area is based
on this plan. The area in proximity to the lake is desig­nated
for '''beachfront development." All development pro­posals
must be reviewed and approved by the County Planning
and Zoning Commission and Board of County Commissioners.
24
Zoning also is designated in this area for specific types of
land use (residential, commercial, etc.). Figure 6 shows
the zoning near the project section of u.s. 89 (to be pro­vided
by the Bear Lake Regional Commission) .
A number of plans for subdivisions (presumably second home)
and other recreational facilities are currently underway in
Rich County and Garden City. Whether actual development
will occur is questionable, however. Table 10 shows the
number of building permits and the value of construction
since 1980. Construction activity decreased in the early 1980s, then increased in 1983 and 1984. Development decreased substantially in 1985 and 1986. A major planning goal for the Bear Lake Region is to increase winter recreational opportunities and use. Legislation was
passed by the 1987 Utah Legislature that will help to imple­ment
such development. A portion of the state fuel tax on
motor vehicles will be given to the Utah Department of Parks
and Recreation for improvement of recreational opportunities
for off-road vehicles such as snowmobiles. This is estimated
to be about $250,000 state wide. Logan Canyon and the Bear
Lake Area will receive some benefi t from this measure.
25
Insert Figure 6
26
Table 10 CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY RICH COUNTY AND GARDEN CITY
BOT538/029
REFERENCES
Andrews, Wade H. and William C. Dunaway. November 1, 1975.
Social Effects of Changes in Uses of Bear Lake, An Interstate
Body of Water. Institute for Social Science Research and
Natural Resources, Utah State University, Logan, Utah.
Call, Norm. Rich County Building Official. March 20, 1987.
Personal communication.
Erickson, Duane. March 25, 1987. U.S. Soil Conservation Service, Logan Utah. Personal communication.
Francis, Blair. Rich County Commissioner, Woodruff, Utah.
March 19, 1987. Personal communication
Greenhalgh, Lorine. Cache County Planner. February 27, 1987. Personal communication =.
Gyllenskog, Lee. Utah Parks and Recreation, Bear Lake Office. March 20, 1987. Personal Communication.
LaBar, Fred U.S> Forest Service, Logan, Utah. Various personal communication
Miller, Stan. U.S. Forest Service, Logan, Utah. February 27,
1987. Personal communication.
Peterson, William. Bear Lake Realty, Garden City, Utah.
March 19, 1987. Personal communication.
Thomas, Craig. Bear Lake Regional Commission. March 20,
1987. Personal communication.
28
U.S. Forest Service. 1985. Wasatch-Cache National Forest
Land and Resource Management Plan. Ogden, Utah.
Utah Department of Transportation. Utility inventories pre­pared
for an earlier proposed improvement to U.S. 89 Logan
Canyon.
BOT538/020
Appendix EXISTING AND PROPOSED ROAD ACCESS AND PARKING AREAS
29

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LOGAN CANYON U.S. HIGHWAY 89
LAND USE TECHNICAL MEMORANDUM
Prepared for
Utah Department of Transportation
Prepared by
CH2M HILL
Salt Lake City, Utah
March 1987
BOT538/031
CONTENTS
Introduction
Methods
Existing Conditions
Recreation
Grazing
Mining
Logging
Other Uses
Planning and Zoning
Impacts
Middle Canyon
Upper Canyon
Rich County
Mitigation
Middle Canyon
Upper Canyon
Rich County
References
Appendix - Existing and Proposed Road Access and Parking Areas
BOT538/032
INTRODUCTION
This technical memorandum describes existing conditions,
potential impacts, and possible mitigation measures for land
uses affected by proposed improvements to U.S. Highway 89
Logan Canyon between Right Fork and Garden City, Utah. The
proposed project involves road improvements through various
alternatives, such as replacing bridges, introdu~ing passing
lanes, developing parking areas, modifying intersections
and realigning the road. Approximately 21 of the 28-mile project length of U.S. Highway 89 lies within the Wasatch Cache National Forest (Figure 1). Land use in this area is limited to uses permitted by the U. S. Forest Service, which include recreation, live­stock grazing, logging, and mining. Recreation is the primary use of the Logan Canyon area. Several stretches of the highway north of Tony Grove pass through private lands. The highway continues through Forest Service land from the Rich/Cache County Line east for about 1-1/2 miles. From this point to Garden City, all lands adjoining the highway are privately owned, except for one small section of the National Forest and the Garden City public cemetery located one-half mile west of town.
BOT538/020
1
METHODS Land uses in and near the proposed project area were described
based on a review of available literature and data, observa­tion
of the project area, and conversations with agency per­sonnel
and other knowledgeable persons. Potential land use
impacts were identified based on the type of improvement
alternatives (including the no-action alternative) that have
been proposed for the three project sections (Middle Canyon,
Upper Canyon, Rich County) from issues and concerns identi­fied
during the public scoping process, and from comments provided by the Interdisciplinary Study Team. Where possible, conceptual mitigation and enhancement measures have been identified that would minimize or offset potential project impacts associated withe the various improvement alternatives.
3
EXISTING CONDITIONS
RECREATION
The Wasatch-Cache National Forest receives the greatest rec­reational
use of all National Forests in the nation. In
1981, the entire Forest received 6,730,000 visitor days of
recreational use. Logan Canyon recreational use in 1981 was [blank space]
visitor days, or about [blank space] percent of that for the entire Forest. The Wasatch-Cache National Forest Plan
emphasizes the use of Logan Canyon for recreation. Table 1 shows recreational use in Logan the present.
(Table 1 to be inserted later.) Recreational opportunities in Logan Canyon include camping, fishing, hiking, sightseeing, bicycling, hunting, and pic­nicking.
Winter recrational opportunities are downhill and cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, and sledding.
Summer homes are located in the lower canyon outside of the
project area. While much of the recreational use in the
canyon is destination-type use (people go into the canyon
for recreational purposes, then return home), recreational
use is also associated with people passing through the canyon
with some other ultimate destination. Since U.S. 89 is
a popular route to several of the national parks, travelers
to the parks often stop in the canyon for travel breaks.
Geological features such as Logan Cave and Ricks Spring are
points of interest to travelers. The fall color of deciduous
trees and shrubs in the canyon also attracts many sightseers.
A study of traffic volume variation in the canyon from Feb­ruary
through August 1986 (see Table 2) indicated that during
4
Winter Counts
Right Fork Road (W)
Right Fork Road (E)
Beaver Mountain Road (W)
Beaver Mountain Road (E)
Permanent Station
24 hr as percent of 10 hr
Permanent Station as
Percent of Right Fork (W)
Summer Counts
Right Fork Road (W)
Right Fork Road (E)
Tony Grove Road (W)
Tony Grove Road (E)
Summit-Sinks Road (W)
Summit-Sinks Road (E)
Permanent Station
24 hr as percent of 16 hr
Permanent Station as
Percent of Right Fork (W)
Table 2
TRAFFIC VOLUME VARIATION
winter weekdays, slightly over 50 percent of the traffic on
u.s. 89 enters the canyon for destination purposes, mainly
recreation. On winter weekends, slightly over 60 percent of
the traffic ~tays in the canyon. The percentage of destina­tion
traffic is much lower in summer. In summer, only about
20 percent of the weekday traffic and 30 percent of the week­end
traffic into the canyon stays within the canyon. However,
since traffic volume is 4 to 5 times greater in summer than
winter, actual numbers of destination users of the canyon is
greater in summer than winter. There are a large number of developed
facilities within Logan Canyon, including 11 campgrounds, 12 picnic areas, 11 summer home areas, and 16 other points of interest.
These facilities and their use in recent years are show in Tables 3, 4, and 5. Tony Lake and Sunrise campgrounds are the most heavily used campgrounds within the project area.
Figure 2 shows the location of recreational facilities and points of interest in the canyon
Table 6 shows 1986 recreation visitor days in the canyon by
type of activity. Camping is the dominant activity in the canyon, comprising 27.3 percent of total canyon use. Auto
travel is second at 26.4 percent, although this does not
distinguish recreation travel from other travel. Recreation
cabin use is the third most popular activity, comprising
9.8 percent of the total. Downhill skiing ranks fourth,
picnicking fifth, and fishing sixth. Some bicycling occurs
in the canyon, although most of this activity is confined to
the lower canyon area close to Logan and Utah State University.
Little pedestrian activity occurs along the highway because
of its narrowness. Walking along the road does occur near
points of interest where parking is not immediately avail­able.
6
TABLE 3 LOGAN CANYON CAMPGROUNDS AND PICNIC AREAS
CAMPGROUNDS
Name
Sunrise
Red Banks
Lewis M. Turner
Tony Lake
Wood £amp
Lodge Preston galleyb
GUinavgh
Malibu Lower Spring Hollow
Bridger
Table 3
LOGAN CANYON CAMPGROUNDS AND PICNIC AREAS
Number of Sites Water
30 x
12 x
10 x
39 x
8 x
10 x
10 x
32 x
16 x
14 x
12 x
Toilets
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
Other Features
On Tony Lake
Hiking trail
2 miles from U.S. 89
Adjacent to Guenava C.G.
PICNIC AREAS AND GROUP DAY USE AREAS (BY RESERVATION)
Twin Bridges
Cottonwood
China Row
Chokcherry
Card
Browns Roll-off
Nook b
Beirdneau
Lower Spring Hollow Middle Spring Hollow Upper Spring Hollow
Dewitt
Source: U.S.
BOT538/021
Table 4 LOGAN RANGER DISTRICT SUMMER HOMES USE
Location
Gus Lind Flat
Bierdneau
Valhalla
Birch Glen
Browns Roll Off
Card Canyon
Pine Bluff
Chokecherry
The Junipers
Hailstone
Brachiopod
Table 5
LOGAN RANGER DISTRICT
POINTS OF INTEREST
Ricks Spring
Fucoidal Quartzite
Old Juniper (5-1/2 mile hike)
Malibu Scout Lodge
Arnerlcan Legion Post
St. Ann's Retreat
Cache E. Cache Logan Stakes Corp
Beaver Mountain
Logan Cave
Tony Grove Memorial Ranger Station
Bear Lake Overlook
Limber Pine Trail
Limber Pine
Cache Clubs
Sinks Snowmobile Trail Head
Tony Lake Trail
Table 6
LOGAN CANYON RECREATION USE BY ACTIVITY
Activity
Viewing Scenery
Viewing Activities (Spectator)
Automobile Travel
Motorcycle and Scooter Travel
Ice and Snow Craft Travel
Train and Bus Touring
Aerial Trams and Lifts
Hiking and Walking Bicycle Horseback Canoeing
Other Watercraft
Team Sports
Individual Sports
Swimming and Water Play
Diving Fishing, Cold Water Camping, General Day Camping, Auto
Camping, Trailer
Camping, Tent
Organization Camping, General Day
Organization Camping, Night
Picnicking
Recreation Cabin Use
Skiing, Downhill
Snow Play
Cross-Country Skiing, Snowshoeing
Hunting, Big Game
Hunting, Upland Birds
Table 6 (Continued)
LOGAN CANYON RECREATION USE BY ACTIVITY
Activity
Nature Study, Wildlife, Birds, Fish
Nature Study, Hobby, Education
Mountain Climbing
Gathering Forest Products
Viewing Interpretative Exhibits
Attending Talks and Programs
Touring, Guided
Touring, Unguided
Walking, Guided
Walking, Unguided
Viewing Interpretative Signs
General Information
Beaver Mountain Recreation Area is a private concession within
the Forest that provides downhill and cross-country skiing
and other winter recreation pursuits. The area has 16 runs
and three ski lifts; two of the lifts were installed in 1985.
A fourth lift is to be constructed when financially feasible.
The area includes a day lodge, but no overnight accommodations.
Sweetwater Resort in Garden City provides overnight lodging
and eating facilities for Beaver Mountain visitors. User
figures at Beaver Mountain for the current and two past seasons
are given in Table 7.
Because of the narrowness of Logan Canyon and the highway, parking locations are very limited, especially in the middle canyon where the majority of Forest Service facilities are located. The lack of parking constrains recreational use in some places. The Appendix lists parking opportunities through­out
the Forest section of the project road. A survey of
actual parking use in the canyon was made by the Forest Ser­vice
on two Saturdays in August 1986. The findings were
48 cars parked on August 16, and 89 cars parked on August 30.
Garden City, at the eastern terminus of the project road
section, is one of several more developed recreational areas
around Bear Lake. Bear Lake State Park has three facilities
on the lake. The oldest of the three, the marina, is located
just north of Garden City. It has slips for 150 boats and
about a dozen camp sites. Rendezvous Beach, about 9 miles
13
south of Garden City at the southeast end of the lake, has
about 230 campsites. Cisco Beach, on the east side of the
lake, has only pit restrooms, and was closed in November
1986 until more adequate restroom facilities can be installed
(Chavez, 1987). User figures for Bear Lake State Park are
given in Table 8. These facilities, particularly the marina
and Rendezvous Beach, are heavily used in summer. The two
areas are usually totally reserved for summer weekends early
in the year. Camping spaces are open only from May through
October, although the marina is open all year. Utah State
Parks and Recreation expects to upgrade Cisco Beach facilities in the future as funding becomes available.
The other major recreation facility at Garden City is the
Sweetwater Resort, a private development constructed in the
1970s. Planned to include more than 7,000 acres of land, it
comprises a marina, golf course, stables, swimming pool,
tennis courts, approximately 150 condominiums, two restau­rants,
and a convention center. No new units have been con­structed
since about 1981 (Call, 1987), and the development
14
has just been reorganized following Chapter 11 proceedings
(Francis, 1987). Construction has begun recently on a hotel­restaurant
complex in Garden City to accommodate conferences.
Other recreational areas exist north of Garden City in Bear
Lake County, Idaho, and to the south in Pickelville and Lake­town,
Utah. A few facilities exist on the east side of Bear
Lake. However, the road along the east side is unpaved, and
a large part of the land ownership is public.
The other large private resort on the lake Bear Lake West
is located near the state line in Bear Lake County, Idaho. It includes a golf course and a number of privately owned residences, most of which are second homes. A marina is planned for the development. Figure 3 shows the location of recreation facilities and communities on Bear Lake.
Because of better access for the population concentration on the Wasatch Front, private land ownership, and more developed infrastructre, major recreational development on Bear Lake is expected to continue on the west shore.
Six grazing allotments are located within the Logan Canyon section of the Forest. Total animal unit months (AUMs) provided by these allotments are 6,978 for cattle and 3,800 for sheep. A breakdown of AUMs by allotment is given in Table 9.
Each of the sheep allotments has one permitee. There are 16 permitees for the cattle allotment (Miller, 1987). Live­stock
is hauled by truck to all of the allotments, except Blind Hollow and Cottonwood. For these allotments, livestock is brough by truck to corrals located at Right Fork, Temple Fork, Twin Cheek, and is driven on foot from these corrals to the allotments.
Forest Service records show 30 mining claims in existence
within the Logan Ranger District. Within the Logan Canyon
Management Area, mining leases are given only under the con­dition
of no surface occupancy. Leases in this area are for
metaliferous materials, oil and gas, and common materials
(gravel, clay, sand). No mines are currently active in this
area. No drilling for oil or gas has occurred in the Logan
Ranger District, only geophysical exploration (LaBar, 1987).
17
LOGGING
About 2,900 acres in the Logan Ranger District are suitable
for logging. There is currently no active logging for lum­ber
production on the Logan (west) side of the summit, al­though
a small commercial firewood operation is removing
logs from that area. No lumber mills are currently operat­ing
in the Logan area. In the past, commercial logging
occurred in areas just west and south of Bear Lake Summit.
Logging trucks traveled Sinks Road to U.S. 89 then east into Rich County.
Some commercial logging currently occurs on the east side of the summit. This operation does not afect U.S. 89 since logs are taken out over back roads to Meadowville in Rich
County, then to Afton, WY for milling.
OTHER USES No residences, either seasonal or permanent, exist within the project secion of the National Forest. Three seasonal cabins exist near U.S. 89 on privately owned lands in Cache in Sections 25 and 36 of T14N, R3E, and Section 17 or T14N, R4E in Cache County.
Utah State University maintains a forest research station
approximately one-half mile south of the Tony Grove Guard
Station. A Utah Department of Transportation road mainte­nance
shop is located near Willow Springs, approximately
2 miles west of Bear Lake Summit.
Nearly all lands adjacent to u.S. 89 in Rich County are pri­vately
owned. Most of this land up to about one mile from
Garden City is undeveloped because of steep slopes. However,
Bridgerland Village a subdivision, containing about 53 resi­dences,
lies adjacent to the highway less than one mile east
18
of the Cache/Rich County line. Sweetwater Resort lands lie
just to the southeast of this subdivision. A gravel pit
occurs within 200 feet of the highway east of the summit.
Another gravel pit is within one-half mile of the highway
near Mile post 411, almost to Garden City. The eastern
terminus of the project highway is the community of Garden
City. Land uses within this community include several
recreational campgrounds; two motels; Sweetwater Resort; a
portion of Bear Lake State Park; two grocery stores; several
service businesses; and a number of private residences, both permenant and second homes. Agricultural uses (mainly livestock grazing and hay production) are interspersed among other uses around Bear Lake. Just east of the Garden Ci ty cemetery the agricultural lands are classified as prime agricultural soils. The Despain
soil, through which the highway righ-of-way passes, has a
capability classification of 3S. The Thatcher soil, further from the road, is classed 3E. This land is irrigated by the canal east of the cemetery. Figure 4 shows land uses adjacent to the project section of U.S. 89 in Rich County. According to Mountain Fuel Supply Company, there are no natural gas lines near the project section of road currently
under study in Logan Canyon. There are, however, both over­head
and underground power and phone lines in existence.
Utah Power & Light Company lines originate at the Garden
City substation, about one mile west of the Garden City Junc­tion.
Overhead primary lines run east toward Garden City,
then south-southwest. They eventually serve the Bridgerland
Village subdivision, as well as a laser tracking station, by
way of underground conduit.
19
Even though rural overhead telephone lines now run about a
half-mile west from the Garden City Junction, there is a
strong possibility that most or all of this system will be
removed in the near future. Telephone facilities that serve
the Bridgerland Village subdivision originate just south of
Garden City Junction and are entirely underground west and
southwest of that point.
Power and telephone conduits are located 2 feet below the
surface, and both cross under U.S. 89 at different locations .
Once within the Bridgerland Village subdivision, much of the
power-telephone conduits run together. Because of inade­quate
mapping, the location of much of power-telephone conduits run together. Because of inadequate mapping, the location of much of this subdivision's underground secondary is uncertain.
Two overhead telephone lines cross U.S. 89 a few hundred feet south of the Garden City substation. The lines pass west to a Utah Department of Transportation road maintenance shopel ocated about one mile west of ;pq §.s U ":S" ~ ·:'S,,,9 a few hundred
Bear Lake Summit. On the Summit the lines come within about one hundred feet of the highway. This entire facility west of Garden City is owned and maintained by UDOT. Figure 5 shows the location of these utilities.
PLANNING AND ZONING Current zoning through the Logan Canyon area in Cache County
is FR40 (Forest Recreation - 40-acre minimum lot size).
Cabins, but not permanent residences, can be constructed on
parcels of 40 acres or more. The County plans for Forest
recreational uses to continue here, although no land use
plan has been adopted (Greenhalgh, 1978). The Forest Ser­vice's
plan for the Logan Canyon Management Area (U.S. For­est
Service, 1985) provides the following policies for land
use:
21
Recreation: The emphasis is to protect scenic quali­ties.
A broad spectrum of year-round developed and
dispersed recreation opportunities will be provided.
Developed recreation will be emphasized.
Ski Area Development: Work with permittees of the Bea­ver
Mountain Ski Area to protect the natural beauty of
the area, improve existing facilities, and plan future
expansion.
Off-Road Vehicles: Vehicles are restricted to existing roads and trails except over-snow vehicles traveling on the snow.
Wildlife: Manage fish and wildlife habitat programs to complement outdoor recreatoin
Range and Timber: Manage range and timber resources to complement outdoor recreation
Watershed: Maintain or improve existing water quality.
Protection: Protect and preserve unique natural, geo­logical,
and historical features. Make an appropriate
suppression response on all wildfires.
Minerals: Issue "lease with no surface occupancy" only.
Regulate mineral development to protect the recreational
and scenic qualities of the area.
Lands: Acquire land or easements as necessary to main­tain
the scenic values of the canyon.
23
Transportation: Logan Canyon Highway upgrading and
maintenance will consider public safety needs, the pro­tection
of visual qualities, and other resource values
and uses.
o Public access in ihe canyon will be provided with
adequate ingress, egress, pull offs, and parking
opportunities.
o Provide adequate parking and access at: Ricks Spring, Brachiopod Park, Limber Pine, and Logan Cave
o Recommend that the Utah Deparment of Transporta­tion place signs warning motorists of livestock
and wildlife crossings
o Work with the State Department to manage traffic control problems in Logan Canyon
o Protect roadside vegetation, springs, and streams from damaging chemicals such as as salt and herbicides.
o Cooperate with the Department of Transportation to provide mutual assistance in the annual disposal
of roadside slough and rubble.
Planning for the Bear Lake region calls for development of
conference center and accompanying recreational facilities.
The Bear Lake Regional Plan identifies resource opportuni­ties
and constraints and suggests where development should
and should not occur. Zoning for the lakeside area is based
on this plan. The area in proximity to the lake is desig­nated
for '''beachfront development." All development pro­posals
must be reviewed and approved by the County Planning
and Zoning Commission and Board of County Commissioners.
24
Zoning also is designated in this area for specific types of
land use (residential, commercial, etc.). Figure 6 shows
the zoning near the project section of u.s. 89 (to be pro­vided
by the Bear Lake Regional Commission) .
A number of plans for subdivisions (presumably second home)
and other recreational facilities are currently underway in
Rich County and Garden City. Whether actual development
will occur is questionable, however. Table 10 shows the
number of building permits and the value of construction
since 1980. Construction activity decreased in the early 1980s, then increased in 1983 and 1984. Development decreased substantially in 1985 and 1986. A major planning goal for the Bear Lake Region is to increase winter recreational opportunities and use. Legislation was
passed by the 1987 Utah Legislature that will help to imple­ment
such development. A portion of the state fuel tax on
motor vehicles will be given to the Utah Department of Parks
and Recreation for improvement of recreational opportunities
for off-road vehicles such as snowmobiles. This is estimated
to be about $250,000 state wide. Logan Canyon and the Bear
Lake Area will receive some benefi t from this measure.
25
Insert Figure 6
26
Table 10 CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY RICH COUNTY AND GARDEN CITY
BOT538/029
REFERENCES
Andrews, Wade H. and William C. Dunaway. November 1, 1975.
Social Effects of Changes in Uses of Bear Lake, An Interstate
Body of Water. Institute for Social Science Research and
Natural Resources, Utah State University, Logan, Utah.
Call, Norm. Rich County Building Official. March 20, 1987.
Personal communication.
Erickson, Duane. March 25, 1987. U.S. Soil Conservation Service, Logan Utah. Personal communication.
Francis, Blair. Rich County Commissioner, Woodruff, Utah.
March 19, 1987. Personal communication
Greenhalgh, Lorine. Cache County Planner. February 27, 1987. Personal communication =.
Gyllenskog, Lee. Utah Parks and Recreation, Bear Lake Office. March 20, 1987. Personal Communication.
LaBar, Fred U.S> Forest Service, Logan, Utah. Various personal communication
Miller, Stan. U.S. Forest Service, Logan, Utah. February 27,
1987. Personal communication.
Peterson, William. Bear Lake Realty, Garden City, Utah.
March 19, 1987. Personal communication.
Thomas, Craig. Bear Lake Regional Commission. March 20,
1987. Personal communication.
28
U.S. Forest Service. 1985. Wasatch-Cache National Forest
Land and Resource Management Plan. Ogden, Utah.
Utah Department of Transportation. Utility inventories pre­pared
for an earlier proposed improvement to U.S. 89 Logan
Canyon.
BOT538/020
Appendix EXISTING AND PROPOSED ROAD ACCESS AND PARKING AREAS
29